Faces of NLU: Meet Steven Flores
A dedicated high school teacher returns to NLU for his second master’s degree, receiving the My Teacher, My Hero grant and hoping to better serve marginalized student populations.
One of the best features of our programs at National Louis University (NLU) is their customizability. As a student, you can choose concentrations, specializations, and minors to help prepare you for your next promotion or your next dream career. Steven Ryan Flores, a teacher from Munster, Indiana, has done just that with his current program, the M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction. Steven specialized his degree with concentrations in ESL/Bilingual Education and Transition Specialist in order to better serve student populations frequently left behind by school systems.
“The current program I am in will teach me how to best serve students that speak English as a second language and help students with disabilities transition from high school to adulthood,” Steven says. “The degree will give me the option to serve my students in a capacity different from that of a teacher. The ideal role would be a leader for equity across the school for minoritized populations.”
This is the second degree program Steven has enrolled in at NLU, and he says that the University’s strong reputation in the field of education is what led him to pursue his M.Ed.
“I chose National Louis Louis University for its strong reputation in producing highly qualified teaching professionals,” Steven says.
“National Louis has prepared me to deliver quality instruction to my students across a spectrum of needs and abilities,” he adds.
Along with enrolling in a Master’s degree program in Curriculum & Instruction, Steven earned a My Teacher. My Hero grant from the National College of Education (NCE) at NLU. This grant provides two teachers enrolled in an NCE program a $500 gift they can put toward their classrooms.
“The $500 classroom grant will go along way in helping my students develop their literacy and critical thinking skills,” Steven says. “I chose to create a graphic novel classroom library. Selections were made from critically acclaimed graphic novels as well as high-interest student picks.”
Steven has been thriving in his NCE program thus far. However, his educational journey has not always been easy. Steven previously faced unexpected health issues while trying to complete his degree in Special Education:
“I was struggling with sleep apnea and wasn’t aware. I was experiencing high blood pressure, depression, memory loss and anxiety. I was struggling to complete coursework and adopted a deficiency narrative: ‘This isn’t for me, I can’t do this.’”
Steven’s health struggles began affecting his performance in his graduate program.
“Ultimately, I came very close to failing out of the Special Education program I was in,” Steven says. “It was a difficult time for me and I struggled to make sense of what was going on.”
During this difficult time, Steven leaned on his support system – namely, his wife:
“My wife pushed me to write a student appeal letter, and seek medical consultation for both physical and mental issues. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. I started treatment and my world changed [...] My attention and anxiety improved greatly and I felt confident in completing the coursework I needed to complete for my career and family. I did not allow myself to fail out of the program. I ended up with a 3.67 GPA and currently have straight A’s earning a second master’s degree. Overcoming anxiety has been one of the greatest obstacles I’ve had to face in my academic career. The greatest lesson I’ve learned is that the best way to deal with anxiety is to take action. Whenever you feel overwhelmed and you can do something to improve your situation, take action or schedule it. If not, let the worry go because there is nothing you can do.”
Having persevered through health challenges, Steven now describes his future teaching career as “revolutionary,” and sees himself as a change agent in the education field:
“I see myself immersed in the lives of my students and their families. I see myself building roots and creating a community to empower our students to not only face the harsh inequities of life but also to be agents of change for a better world.”
Steven encourages his fellow students in the National College of Education (NCE) to embrace the difficulty and rigor of their programs.
“You will experience quality, rigorous instruction,” he says. “Revel in the expertise of your instructors and swim in the complexity of your coursework. Become the best teachers you can be for your students. What you do matters, and our students deserve nothing less.”
Interested in our graduate degrees in education? You can also browse our complete list of degree programs, many of which are offered 100% online. If you’re interested in learning more about any of our programs, you can contact an Enrollment Specialist online or by calling (888) 658-8632.
